Thanks to the strawberries, this recipe is like summer’s version of a cinnamon roll. You get strawberry flavor in every bite without it being overwhelmingly sweet. It’s perfect for special occasions but also easy enough to make for a weekend brunch at home or as an afternoon snack. Got extra strawberries on hand? Try my strawberry cheesecake recipe, strawberry cake recipe, or strawberry cobbler recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Milk — make sure you use whole milk instead of 2% or skim milk for this strawberry rolls recipe. Whole milk provides the best flavor to the dough and yields the best soft and fluffy dough. Yeast — always double-check that the yeast you have on hand has not expired and was stored correctly. This recipe requires proofing the yeast beforehand, so if your yeast does not become bubbly, you will need to get new yeast. Butter — you will need butter for both the dough and the icing. Make sure you buy unsalted butter, so you can control how much salt is added to the recipe. Remember to take your butter out ahead of time, so it will be room temperature. Strawberries — strawberries do not continue to ripen once picked, so when you select your strawberries at the store, pick the reddest ones to get the sweetest strawberries for the filling. Strawberry jam — for even more strawberry flavor, the fresh strawberries are mixed with strawberry jam to make the filling. Get some from the store or try my homemade strawberry jam recipe! Cream cheese — for the cream cheese icing, I recommend using full-fat cream cheese for the best flavor. Get the blocks of cream cheese and not the spreadable ones.
How to Make Strawberry Rolls
In a small bowl, stir together the warm milk, 1 teaspoon sugar, and the yeast. Let stand until bubbly. Add the remaining ⅓ cup sugar, flour, butter, salt, and egg to a stand mixer bowl. Using the paddle attachment, mix on medium-low speed until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Switch to the dough hook attachment and add the milk mixture to the bowl. Beat at medium-low speed until a smooth and sticky dough forms.
Lightly oil a large bowl. Scrape the dough into the oiled bowl, and turn the dough to coat. Cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
In a small bowl, stir together the strawberries and jam to make the filling.
On a lightly floured surface, turn out the risen dough. Roll the dough into a 12×16-inch rectangle and spread the mixture over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border on one short side.
Starting at the short side opposite the border, loosely roll the dough into a log, pinching the seam to seal.
Using a serrated knife or unflavored dental floss, cut ½-inch off each end of the log and discard. Cut the log into 8 rolls and place them in a greased 10-inch pie dish. Loosely cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, before baking for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
As the strawberry rolls cool, make the icing by beating the cream cheese and butter until well combined. Add the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla and beat until the mixture is smooth. Spread over the top of the warm rolls.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
If you do not have powdered sugar, you can follow my guide on how to make homemade powdered sugar with regular sugar. Make sure your milk is between 105F and 110F, as milk that is too hot could kill your yeast. The yeast will not bloom if the milk is too cold. For a warm spot to rise the dough, begin preheating the oven at 350°F for 1 minute, then turn it off. The oven will be at the perfect warm temperature to rise in with the door closed. Just make sure to take the dish out of the oven before preheating for bake time! The filling may seem scant when spreading on the dough, but once rolled up, there is plenty in each roll. If you put too much filling, it will leak out as the strawberry rolls bake. A digital kitchen scale is the most accurate way to measure your flour because adding too much flour will lead to dense rolls. If you do not have a digital scale, fluff your flour with a spoon and scoop it into your measuring cups before leveling off the top with a knife. Doing so will ensure you do not overpack the cup.
Can I make this ahead of time?
You can refrigerate the dough overnight after step 4. In the morning, punch down the dough and roll it out. The second rise will take a bit longer as the dough is cold. Alternatively, you can prepare the rolls up to the second rise the night before, then cover and refrigerate the rolls. In the morning, keep the rolls covered and allow them to rise in a warm area for 1 hour before you bake them.
How do I store leftovers?
If you have leftover strawberry rolls, cover them tightly and store them in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Reheat the rolls in the oven or microwave until warm.
Can I freeze these rolls?
Once the rolls have cooled to room temperature, tightly wrap the rolls and transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for 2 to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw and reheat them.
What else can I add?
Feel free to play around with the filling of these rolls! Try adding lemon zest or using a different type of berries such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and cherries. Just make sure to use the same flavor jam to match the berries. If you’ve tried this Strawberry Roll recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
